


AND WHISPER GODSPEED

by wellmet



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Gen, M/M, no sex just loving
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-19
Updated: 2016-11-19
Packaged: 2018-08-31 19:38:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 981
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8591095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wellmet/pseuds/wellmet
Summary: James returns to Q's home and MI6. Q realises that double 0s are special and it's his job to save them until they decide it's time to die.





	

**Author's Note:**

> James Bond returns to Q's home and to MI6 and Q realises that double 0s are special and it's his job to save them until they decided it's time to die.

AND WHISPER GODSPEED  
Meretseger 2016

Q had finally managed to cure himself of the crush he had on James Bond. He'd put it aside and concentrated on their friendship. It was better that way. You could miss a friend but wish him the best in his new life. He had let himself be miserable for a couple of days - it was secretly fun to play the hopelessly in love romantic hero - but now he was over that and feeling settled again.

Being busy helped. 9 Eyes had left a real mess in the wake of its fall and Q Branch was picking up the pieces. As well as making sure that MI6's computers were safe behind their firewalls Q had agents to help as they rounded up what they could of SPECTRE. No one in the Secret Service was foolish enough to think they could wipe the organisation out all together but they could do a lot of damage and save some lives. A new Blofeld would make his or her way to the top, over the bodies of others, and SPECTRE would regain its power but with luck it would take long enough for the security services to find a way of limiting its power. 

When he had a few minutes to spare to eat Q wondered where James and Madeleine were. Somewhere exotic and beautiful, of course. Venice? No, not Venice with its memories of Vesper. The south of France? - no a Greek island with whitewashed churches and a deep blue sea. And a luxury hotel, of course. Nothing less would do for James Bond. If not that then a beautiful house with its own beach and a fishing village close enough for fresh fish - that a fat and cheerful housekeeper would cook into beautiful meals eaten on the terrace watching the sunset. 

 

"I'll drive you home," Miss Moneypenny offered. The Quartermaster looked tired and it was half past five, the tube would be full of commuters and it had been a long two weeks. 

Q was going to refuse, say he could take the tube but he thought of the crowds and standing up all the way home. "That would be nice, Eve. Thanks." He and his minions had finally managed to sort out the mess and he was going home to feed his cats, eat a proper meal sitting at his kitchen table and sleep for at least a day. It would take longer for Moneypenny to drive through the rush hour traffic than it would take if he caught public transport but he'd be sitting down and he'd probably have time for a short nap. 

The short winter day was drawing down into darkness when Moneypenny dropped him outside his house. They'd stopped to pick up cat food and Chinese take-away and Q was thinking happily of spoiling his cats with bits of pork and chicken and a long cold glass of wine. 

 

The alarms hadn't been triggered but Q sensed that somebody was in his home. The cats had come to meet him, curling around his ankles as usual but that didn't stop the feeling that he was not alone. He slipped his tazer out of the messenger bag over his shoulder and stepped forward , silent as the flow of electrons in the gadgets he built and the computers he programmed. 

The man who stood, backlit against the windows, held a glass in one hand, the other was relaxed at his side. "Good evening, Q" 

"007?" Q was confused, this man was supposed to be enjoying his retirement somewhere expensive. "What are you doing here?" he flipped on the lights, revealing a Bond whose looked like he needed a shave and a clean shirt. 

"Coming home," Bond answered, taking a sip of Q's scotch. "If you'll have me."

Q, who would have loved to 'have' Bond took a deep breath, sure that he was reading more into the word that Bond intended. "Why? You were supposed to be driving into the sunset with the lovely Dr Swann!"

Bond laughed, cynical as was his wont. "The sun came up and I realised that I'm not a man who enjoys doing nothing more energetic than a morning swim." He shook his head and smiled ruefully. "God, I was bored!" 

"And Dr Swann?" Q asked. Bond didn't look as unhappy as a man who had lost the woman he loved should have looked. 

"Has gone back to work." A shrug. "She was bored, too."

Q had to laugh. "What a pair!" He turned back to take off his coat. "Chinese?" 

As he hung up his parka Q hung his head in sorrow for just a moment. Bond would die before he was forced to retire, he knew that now. He would listen on the comms as this man died. He realised, now, that he would have to listen to other men and women die. They were double 0s and they would rather die saving their country than live broken or old. He could do his best, save them over and over but one day they would know it was their time to go and there would be nothing he could do then. 

Except be with them as they died and wish them 'Godspeed'. And, in the silence of his heart whisper, "I love you." 

When I started this I didn't know (I never do) where it would end. It's a sad Q but one, I think, that accepts his destiny as the double 0s accept theirs. I was tempted to call this story "as we that are left grow old." That is a quote from the poem that is read at all Australian memorial services for those who have died in war. "They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old. Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn." But I decided on Godspeed.


End file.
